Impact assessment system and method for determining emergent criticality

• US 20060025908A1
• Filed: 07/27/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Rachlin, Elliott H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,311,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0251 Abstraction hierarchy, e.g. "complex systems", i.e. system is divided in subsystems, subsystems are monitored and results are combined to decide on status of whole system

Abstract

An impact assessment system and method for determining emerging criticality in a complex system is provided. The impact assessment system includes a component dependency model and an emergent criticality analyzer. The component dependency model describes the relationships between components in the system and their underlying dependency and criticality relationships. The impact assessment system receives component failure data from the complex system and uses the component dependency model and emergent criticality analyzer to determine the impact of the component failure on the criticality of remaining components in the system. The impact assessment system is thus able to determine how component failures in the complex system can impact the criticality of remaining components in the complex system and thus can assist in determining how those components may or may not be safely used in further operational activities.

Claims

1. An impact assessment system for determining an impact of component failure in a complex system, the impact assessment system comprising:

a component dependency model, the component dependency model describing dependency relationships between components in the complex system; and

an emergent criticality analyzer, the emergent criticality analyzer receiving failure data for the complex system and determining the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the complex system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the emergent criticality analyzer determines changes in redundancy status of the remaining components in the complex system.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the emergent criticality analyzer determines the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the complex system by calculating base annunciations for previous component failures, single additional failure annunciations for the previous component failures, and double additional failure annunciations for the previous component failures, and by determining emergent criticality by computing results of a new failure on the criticality of remaining components in the system.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the emergent criticality analyzer computes results of a new failure on the criticality of remaining components in the system by computing base case annunciations for the new failure, single additional failure annunciations for the new failure, and double additional failure annunciations for the new failure, and subtracting the base annunciations for previous component failures, the single additional failure annunciations for the previous component failures, and the double additional failure annunciations for the previous component failures.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the emergent criticality analyzer produces annunciations describing the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the complex system and passes the annunciations to an operator of the complex system.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the emergent criticality analyzer determines the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the complex system by computing direct results of component failures indicated in the failure data, by computing results of one additional hypothetical component failures, and by computing results of two additional hypothetical component failures.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the emergent criticality analyzer determines the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the complex system by computing an component output function for each component in the component dependency model in a specified order, the component output function producing an output that is propagated to downstream components.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the emergent criticality analyzer further computes an annunciation function for each component in the component dependency model in a specified order, the annunciation function producing an output that determines if a corresponding annunciation is asserted.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the component dependency model describes dependency relationships between components in the complex system by including a plurality of physical component records and a plurality of functional component records, each of the physical component records corresponding to a physical equipment in the complex system and each of the functional component records corresponding to a functional state in the complex system.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the plurality of physical component records and the plurality of functional component records each includes a plurality of input designations, a plurality of input weights, a component output function and an annunciation output function.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the component dependency model is generated from a graphical representation of components in the complex system.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the component dependency model is generated from a graphical representation of components in the complex system using a programmatic analysis of the graphic representation.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the programmatic analysis of the graphic representation determines a processing order of components in the complex system.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the impact assessment system is implemented as part of a vehicle health management system and wherein the impact assessment system receives failure data and determines the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in real time.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the impact assessment system is implemented as part of a design tool and is used to evaluate effects of component failures during a design process.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein complex system comprises a vehicle system.

17. A method of determining an impact of component failure in a complex system, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving failure data from the complex system, the failure data indicating at least one component failure in the complex system;

b) determining direct results of the component failure on other components in the complex system; and

c) determining an impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the system.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of determining the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the system comprises determining change in redundancy status of the remaining components in the complex system.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of determining the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the system comprises calculating base annunciations for previous component failures, single additional failure annunciations for the previous component failures, and double additional failure annunciations for the previous component failures, and determining emergent criticality by computing results of a new failure on the criticality of remaining components in the system.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of determining the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the system comprises computing base case annunciations for the new failure, single additional failure annunciations for the new failure, and double additional failure annunciations for the new failure, and subtracting the base annunciations for previous component failures, the single additional failure annunciations for the previous component failures, and the double additional failure annunciations for the previous component failures.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of producing annunciations describing the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the complex system and passing the annunciations to an operator of the complex system.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of determining the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the system comprises computing results of one additional hypothetical component failures, and computing results of two additional hypothetical component failures.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of determining the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the system comprises computing a component output function for each component in the complex system in a specified order, the component output function producing an output that is propagated to downstream components in the complex system.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of determining the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the system further comprises computing an annunciation function for each component in the component dependency model in a specified order, the annunciation function producing an output that determines if a corresponding annunciation is asserted.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of providing a component dependency model, the component dependency model describing dependency relationships between components in the complex system by including a plurality of physical component records and a plurality of functional component records, each of the physical component records corresponding to a physical equipment in the complex system and each of the functional component records corresponding to a functional state in the complex system.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the plurality of physical component records and the plurality of functional component records each includes a plurality of input designations, a plurality of input weights, a component output function and an annunciation output function.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of providing a component dependency model comprises generating the component dependency model from a graphical representation of components in the complex system using a programmatic analysis of the graphical representation.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the programmatic analysis of the graphical representation further determines an processing order of components in the complex system.

29. The method of claim 17 wherein the failure data is received in real time and wherein the step of determining the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the system is performed in real time.

30. The method of claim 17 wherein the failure data is hypothetical failure data for use in a design tool and wherein the step of determining the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the system is performed during a design process.

31. The method of claim 17 wherein complex system comprises a vehicle system.

32. A program product comprising:

a) an impact assessment program for determining an impact of component failure in a complex system, the impact assessment program including;

a component dependency model, the component dependency model describing dependency relationships between components in the complex system;

an emergent criticality analyzer, the emergent criticality analyzer receiving failure data for the complex system and determining the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the complex system; and

b) signal bearing media bearing said impact assessment program.

33. The program product of claim 32 wherein the signal bearing media comprises recordable media.

34. The program product of claim 32 wherein the signal bearing media comprises transmission media.

35. The program product of claim 32 wherein the emergent criticality analyzer determines changes in redundancy status of the remaining components in the complex system.

36. The program product of claim 32 wherein the emergent criticality analyzer determines the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the complex system by calculating base annunciations for previous component failures, single additional failure annunciations for the previous component failures, and double additional failure annunciations for the previous component failures, and by determining emergent criticality by computing results of a new failure on the criticality of remaining components in the system.

37. The program product of claim 32 wherein the emergent criticality analyzer computes results of a new failure on the criticality of remaining components in the system by computing base case annunciations for the new failure, single additional failure annunciations for the new failure, and double additional failure annunciations for the new failure, and subtracting the base annunciations for previous component failures, the single additional failure annunciations for the previous component failures, and the double additional failure annunciations for the previous component failures.

38. The program product of claim 32 wherein the emergent criticality analyzer produces annunciations describing the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the complex system and passes the annunciations to an operator of the complex system.

39. The program product of claim 32 wherein the emergent criticality analyzer determines the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the complex system by computing direct results of component failures indicated in the failure data, by computing results of one additional hypothetical component failures, and by computing results of two additional hypothetical component failures.

40. The program product of claim 32 wherein the emergent criticality analyzer determines the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in the complex system by computing a component output function for each component in the component dependency model in a specified order, the component output function producing an output that is propagated to downstream components.

41. The program product of claim 40 wherein the emergent criticality analyzer further computes an annunciation function for each component in the component dependency model in a specified order, the annunciation function producing an output that determines if a corresponding annunciation is asserted.

42. The program product of claim 32 wherein the component dependency model describes dependency relationships between components in the complex system by including a plurality of physical component records and a plurality of functional component records, each of the physical component records corresponding to a physical equipment component in the complex system and each of the functional component records corresponding to a functional state in the complex system.

43. The program product of claim 42 wherein the plurality of physical component records and the plurality of functional component records each includes a plurality of input designations, a plurality of input weights, a component output function and an annunciation output function.

44. The program product of claim 32 wherein the component dependency model is generated from a graphical representation of components in the complex system.

45. The program product of claim 32 wherein the component dependency model is generated from a graphical representation of components in the complex system using a programmatic analysis of the graphic representation.

46. The program product of claim 45 wherein the programmatic analysis of the graphic representation determines an processing order of components in the complex system.

47. The program product of claim 32 wherein the impact assessment system is implemented as part of a vehicle health management system and wherein the impact assessment system receives failure data and determines the impact of the component failure on criticality of remaining components in real time.

48. The program product of claim 32 wherein the impact assessment system is implemented as part of a design tool and is used to evaluate effects of component failures during a design process.

49. The program product of claim 32 wherein complex system comprises a vehicle system.